TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Trauma Program (KTP) continue to highlight the importance of blood donation amid increasingly critical blood shortages experienced across the state and nation, according to a media release from the KDHE.
Blood shortages can pose risks to hospitals in performing necessary patient care. As January is National Blood Donor month, KDHE and KTP encourage those able to schedule an appointment to donate blood. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has declared this the worst blood shortage in over a decade, with less than a one-day supply of critical blood types. The Community Blood Center for our region is at a 1-2 day supply.
“We encourage Kansans who can donate blood to schedule an appointment today,” Janet Stanek, Acting Secretary, said. “Blood donation helps ensure our hospitals can continue their operations and has the ability to save lives.”
Updated policies and practices allow for safe donation during the pandemic. Donation centers provide specific guidance on the blood donation process and safety measures taken within their centers. The National Institutes of Health have found blood donations to be safe under current COVID-19 screening guidelines.
Locations for blood donation can be found at organization websites such as savealifenow.org, AmericasBlood.org, or redcrossblood.org.